Leadership Shifts

Leadership Shifts to Improve College and Career Readiness

Conventional school leadership practices are – necessarily – focused on preparing students for three “big things” — achievement on state tests, earning a diploma, and readiness for college. Now, however, a growing number of taxpayers, business leaders, political leaders, and education thought-leaders are embracing an additional common objective: career readiness. They believe that 21st century learners — who will live and work in a world that is changing dramatically and largely unpredictably — need to be both career and college ready. Schools need subtle shifts in leadership strategies in order to achieve career readiness.

Dynamics – Shift from disjointed programs to a more integrated, collaborative, adaptive system

Energize the System: Embrace and empower schools as unique, complex and open systems, constantly influenced by the environment

Overwhelm Inertia: Align school culture to truly reflect college and career

Extend Your Reach: Develop strategic community partnerships

Direction – Shift from the comfort of status quo to accepting the challenge of ensuring all students pursue a successful path

The white paperLeadership for College and Career Readiness fully describes the leadership shifts necessary to support enhancing career readiness in schools. These shifts in emphasis and intent also frame the work of the Career Readiness Institute.